Lighting fixture for elongated tubular lamps



Dec. 9,1952 c. NITARDY LIGHTING FIXTURE! FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS 2$l-IEETSSHEET 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1948 ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1952 c. NITARDY2,621,285

LIGHTING FIXTURE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Filed Dec. 31, 1948 2'SHEETS-SHEET 2,

INVENTOR.

A1-1-o a N EY Patented Dec. 9, 1952 LIGHTING FIXTURE FOR ELONGATEBTUBULAR LAMPS Carl Nitardy, Ipswich, Mass, assignor to- SylvaniaElectric Products. Inc., Salem, Mass, a corporationof MassachusettsApplication December 31, 1M8, Serial No. 68,625

1 Claim.

This invention relates to lighting fixtures and particularly to fixturesusing tubular lamps.

The invention increases the usefulness and adaptability of fixtureshaving discharge lamps for a light source. The fixture is composed of achassis so constructed of metal that it presents a maximum of durabilityand minimum of weight. A feature of the invention is embodied in a lightcontrol unit which is detachablymounted upon the chassis and is adaptedto control the laterally and downwardly radiated light from the lamps.

The light control member is constructed of metal and has a pair of endmembers extending over the ends of the chassis. The end members areconnected by side members rigidly secured thereto. The side members areinherently rigid and are so organized that they serve to control thelight laterally radiated by cutting off all direct radiation to theoutside of the fixture while some of the light is used to indirectlyilluminate the side areas of the fixture. The special structure aboveindicated provides an inherently rigid skeleton frame to embrace thexture and provide an entirely open bottom area within which may besecured a louver r diffuser panel of glass or plastic.

A more detailed description of the manner in which the principles of theinvention are appliedv in practice will follow.

It is an object of the invention to provide afixture having maximumstrength and rigidity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fixture which ismechanically and electrically efiicient.

A further object of the invention: is to-provide a fixture which isreadily cleaned and kept at its highest operating efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fixture in which thelight therefrom is controlled downward by and laterally in such a mannerthat a maximum amount of these areas either radiates light directly in acontrolled manner or is indirectly lighted thereby to provide a,lighting unit having a minimum of blacked out areas.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following description and will be particularly pointed out in theclaim.

To provide a better understanding of the invention a particularembodiment thereof will be described and is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fixtureembodying the invention.

of a chassis 3 which maybe constructed in any" suitable manner. As shownthe chassis. is composed of a channel shaped elongatedhousin'g 4",within which are mounted; suitable wiring means and auxiliary devicesfor operating the lamps.

The bottom of the housing is closed by a suitable reflector 5. desirablyVg-shaped in' cross section extending lengthwise of the chassis betweenthe lamps. Two or four lamps may be used. A four lamp; fixture is shownhereinv in which case the reflector is located between the two middlelamps.

The ends of' the chassis have secured" thereto laterally extending endplates 6 upon which the lampholder 2 are mounted". The outer ends. ofthe plates 6 are provided with upwardly opening notches ljwithin' whichare receivedcthe pins 8 which are rigidly secured upon the inner facesof end; members 9 of a light controlling basket like member which isdetachably hung upon the chassis by placing the pins 8 in. the notchesl. The light control member is, thus held in position to control thelight radiated downward andlaterally fromthe lamps.

The light control member when separatedfrom the fixture should haveconsiderable inherent rigidity to protect it from damage in handling andshipping. Such devices have heretofore been mechanically weak andsubject to much damage when detached from the fixture.

The design of such devices to overcome the deficiencies thereinheretofore existing has required the solving of several problems. Forexample it is of major importance to maintain substantially the totalarea of the bottom of the light control member free of opaque members.The sides of this member must therefore provide the necessary strengthto stifi'en the whole unit. In the present invention two metal membersextend between the end members 9 at each side of the fixture. The lowermembers in are welded or otherwise rigidly secured at each end to theend members 9. Any suitable method of welding may be used. As shownherein the end members 9 have an inwardly turned peripheral flange H towhich the ends of the members 10 are spot or otherwise welded.

The members 10 desirably are given an ornamental contour and desirablytheir edges are bent inwardly to produce a finished appearance and tostiffen and strengthen them. The crosssectional shape of the members 10and the character of their inner surface should also be such as toconstitute a reflecting surface. The upper members 12 at the sides ofthe light control member are of substantial width and desirably concavedoutwardly and are so disposed with respect to the members [8 that nodirect light from the lamps is permitted to escape from the sides of thefixture. The members 10 and I2 are so disposed relatively to each otherthat the inner surface of the members 10 act to refleet the light fromone or more of the lamps I upward where it strikes the outer surface ofthe members [2 and is reflected outward and downward as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 3. The upwardly reflected rays pass between theupper edge of the members 12.

The members I2 extend the full length of the control member and aresecured to the end members 10 in any suitable manner. For example theymay be secured in the same manner as the members 10 or they may befastened by screws or bolts or by a combination of screws and weldme. Asshown the members 12 are secured in place by means of one or morebrackets 13 welded or otherwise secured to the end plates and presentingsupporting arms to which the members l2 are secured by the screws I4. Itwill be observed that by rigidly securing the members and 12 to the endmembers an inherently rigid structure is formed. Due to the crosssectional formation of and their relatively large width dimension themembers 12 act as rigid beams or struts to tie the control membertogether in a durable unit capable of being handled and shipped withoutdamage when detached from the fixture. It will be understood that anysuitable number and arrangement of side members or louvers may be usedto create the effect described above.

The fixture may be mounted in any suitable manner. For example it may beinstalled as a canopy fixture in which case the light from the lamps ispermitted to radiate upward and supply indirect light for thesurrounding area. Downwardly directed light from the fixture isdesirably controlled to prevent excessive glare from the lamps reachingthe illuminated area. As shown a louver i i provided to control thelight. If preferred a diffusing panel may be substituted 4 for thelouver. The louver shown is secured in the lower opening of the controlunit in any desired manner. As shown the louver is held in place by aclip 16 secured to the end members by means of screws ll.

In the embodiment of the invention described means are provided toreadily attach or remove the control unit thereby to provide access tothe lamps and reflecting surfaces for cleaning and servicing. Toaccomplish this the slots 1 are elongated to provide space inwardly ofthe pins 8 when the control unit is in operating position. To remove theunit one side thereof is lifted and pulled forward until the pins 8 willswing freely over the ends of the end plates 6. The whole control unitthen will swing down and may be left to hang on its other two pins 8 orentirely removed.

What I claim is:

A lighting fixture comprising: a chassis; end plates attached to theends of said chassis; lampholders mountedon said end plates; elongatedtubular lamps supported by said lampholders; and a substantiallyrectangular light-controlling member mounted on said end plates andenclosing said lamps, said light-controlling member having end membersand side members, each side member consisting of a pair of curvedpanels, each of which has an inner and outer face, one of said panelsbeing disposed adjacent to one of said lamps and lying in substantiallythe same horizontal plane therewith, and the other of said panels beingdisposed beneath and in register with said first mentioned panel, theouter face of the first mentioned panel and the inner face of the secondmentioned panel having a substantially concave reflecting surface, andthe lower longitudinal edge of the upper panel lying in substantiallythe same horizontal plane as the plane in which the upper longitudinaledge of the lower panel lies.

CARL NITARDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,139,005 Doane Dec. 6, 19382,305,722 Livers Dec. 22, 1942 2,312,619 Beck Mar. 2, 1943 2,365,614Winkler et al Dec. 19, 1944 2,427,084 Alderman, Sept. 9, 1947 2,431,656Barker Nov. 25, 1947 2,436,635 De Bishop, Jr. Feb. 24, 1948

